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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. race — humankind
  6. fine — all right
  7. race — a contest
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. firm — steady
  10. fine — high quality
  11. dip — to sink
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. firm — decided
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. race — the arms race
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mark — a trace
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. firm — a company
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. mark — a grade

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com